This invention relates to commodes, and more particularly to a vacuum commode in which a partial vacuum is created to aid in a commode user having a bowel movement.
Commodes as such are old in the art, but have not been addressed to the problem of aiding those of all ages and conditions whenever they are tardy, slow or painful on the commode. The employment of a partial vacuum used in conjunction with a slop jar or bed pan will greatly aid those partly immobilized in bed or senile or older patients suffering from lower intestinal problems which may render a bowel movement almost impossible or extremely painful. The use of enemas and suppositories will be all but eliminated. It is well known in medicine and physiology that as human beings become older internal organs such as the intestine and rectum tend to shrink or contract thus decreasing the orifice diameter which can often render defecation unpleasant and painful.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 257,740 there is disclosed a bed pan with a cushion which has an evacuating tube connected to the pan. The evacuating tube, however, is used only to provide for a discharge of overflow waste effluent from the bed pan. As such the device is not addressed to the problem of providing a vacuum-like effect for aiding an irrigation of the bowels.
In U.S. Pat. No. 543,402 there is set forth a commode or sanitary pail which has its upper aperture surrounded by a hollow ring which serves as a seat and a receptacle to contain a disinfectant which may be readily discharged into the pail when desired. As such, this patent also is not directed to aiding in a user's defecation.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,970 discloses an apparatus for pneumatic transportation of sanitary waste from a toilet to a holding tank. As such, this device while utilizing a vacuum pump to release pressure within a holding tank such reduction in pressure only promotes the sweeping of effluent through a transfer conduit to a holding tank. There is no suggestion or hint of creating a partial vacuum within the air space of the toilet bowl to cause an outflow of excretory matter from the toilet user's bowels.
A further patent to be set forth as prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,619 which describes and sets forth a method for ventilating a toilet. The ventilation system has as its primary purpose to remove offensive odors within a toilet bowl air space. An exhaust vent extends through the toilet seat from the inner lower edge to the outer lower edge and is connected to the discharge side of a vent fan. With the vent fan in operation air is swept through the inner space of the toilet bowl area and is removed by a discharge conduit.